Small Attention Achievement

This morning we went for a short walk (because it is 18 degrees!) and my main goal was just to get her to remember to heel, despite snow and kids playing and people shoveling.

We started out with nothing. Distractions overwhelmed her and she couldn't stay next to me at all. But then after I stopped 5 times in 5 steps, she remembered that she has to walk next to me to move forward (and also I have those tasty bacon treats in my coat pocket.) Then we started to walk and she got better and better. She remembered that she was suppose to look at me periodically, and then I only treated her for walking next to me AND looking at my face. Then she kept trying to get me to treat her, and she paid much better attention. SCIENCE!

At the end of the walk, we practiced "look" about 15 feet away from the neighbor's kids playing in the snow. (She is scared of kids and barks at them.) She sat and took the treats and I could get about 5 in before she looked back at the kids. So then I would say "look" again, and get another 5 treats in there. So step one of the distractions worked! I can get her to look at me when a low level fear is about 15 feet away.

Feeling pretty good about my minor hurdle today, since learning has been a little slow lately.

Also, one funny thing happened: Juneau started limping with one back foot on our walk. When I picked it up to look, she had slush crammed in between her toes! My first thought "this is like when horses get snow in their shoes!" She just does't have that toe fur like other more winterized dogs. Maybe she needs booties!